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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 9, 27. Of the Death of Amalo
Duke Amalo had sent his wife to another estate, there to superintend his affairs. He then fell violently in love with a young girl of free birth. One night, when he was drunken with wine, he sent his servants to carry off the girl and bring her to his bed. She struggled with them and was brought by force to his dwelling, receiving so many blows that she was covered with the blood streaming down from her nostrils; the duke’s bed was also stained by the stream. He also struck her with his fists, cuffed her, and hit her in other ways before taking her into his arms, sorely hurt. But instantly, the wine overcoming him, he fell asleep. Thereupon she put forth her hand across his head, and found his sword; and unsheathing it, as Judith smote Holofernes, so she smote him on the head with a manful stroke. At the cries which he uttered, his servants ran in, and would have slain her. But the duke cried: ‘Do not so, I command you. It is I who have sinned, seeking to deflower this maid. She hath but striven to save her chastity; see to it that she be not slain.’ With these words he gave up the ghost. And while all his household stood lamenting over him, the girl escaped by God’s aid, and came by night to the city of Chalon, which lies about thirty-five miles from that place. There she went into the church of the holy Marcellus, and throwing herself at the king’s feet related all that she had undergone. Then the king, touched to the heart by pity, not only spared her life, but commanded a royal order to be drawn up for her, stating that she was under his protection, and must be in no manner molested by any of the dead man’s kindred. I learned that through God’s guardianship no violence was done by that brutal ravisher to her maidenhead.